Hi all / Query on when is it too late to start?

I'm managing the Education in the Philippines Forum and part of my job is looking for articles on the web which might be useful for teachers, who constitute most of my members.

I've seen the announcement for this seminar on basic orientation for arnis via DepEd - the main audience for that seminar seems to be teachers. I'm interested in attending that seminar; in fact I've already texted the contact number given in the article.

I'd like to ask some opinions here. Back in college I had some training in jujitsu but I stopped when I had to concentrate on my studies. Earlier, for my PE requirement, I took up arnis but I decided to call it quits after I received a flunking grade - even if I believed that I've done the steps right But I've always loved the art in arnis (sorry for those who do not share the love).

Now I'm 26-year old, and although I jog some kilometers now and then, I could not really say that I'm perfectly fit physically. Don't you think it's too late for me to start training in arnis?

Welcome to the group. As far as being too old to start arnis, you are never too old to start.. I have an individual who I work with and he is showing interest in learning arnis.. It is a good way to stay loose and can work for you as you get older.. You are in a good area to start training in arnis because there are some well known systems and instructors in the Cebu area.. I would suggest that you visit a few schools and see about observing a class, then talking to the students and instructors after observing the class.. Again, welcome to the group

1. How much should I expect to expend on training? (I'm still single, but I am financing the education of two younger siblings, so I have to budget well.)
2. How do I approach an arnis group? Could I just show up and tell them I want to be trained?

The cost of what you will spend on classes is dependent on the agreement that you arrange with the instructor.. I would observe a few different classes first to make a determination on what system/instructors peaks your interest.. Once you approach a system or instructor, be humble and tell them exactly what you want to do, don't try to pull the wool (lie to them) over their eyes.. Ask them what their times to train are and how much they charge per session or monthly dues.. The cost will vary between the schools depending on the amount of class times they train.. After you make the selection of what systems you want to train in or explore farther, I usually draw up a pro and con list and determine which particular system offers what I want to learn.. But first, you need to determine what specific reason you want to train, some systems concentrate more on tourney play, while some maintain the more self defense direction as it was originally taught.. Pick out which reason you want to train and go from there

I've decided I'd like an emphasis on self-defense. I'll be checking out some systems within the rest of the month and next month. I won't say how much I'm willing to shell out though - I don't want to be branded cheap

islesv,
Welcome!
It is never to late to start Arnis. I am about 16 years older than yourself and I just started formally training in FMA here in the U.S. a few months ago.
I have been taking my teenage daughter to her Arnis classes taught by kat Puno Bong Jornales for almost 5 years now. I had the wonderful opportunity to take her to your beautiful country this past July for the WEKAF world championship in Cebu.
We had a great time there. Maybe being were it all started helped me take my first steps into training. I love it and we have so much fun and i hope you do too!
Good luck with your new adventure!

I know many people who started learning Arnes, Kali and Silat in their mid 50's. Now is a very good time for you to learn. There are many older Arnes practioners in the Philippines. Remember that the learning process is up to you by how much time and effort you put into it, not only in the dojo, but at home. Good luck.

Hi islesv,
welcome sir, its not too late to learn the art of arnis, i have a 72 years old that is now one of my qualified instructors. There are lots of eskrima instructors in cebu, and i recommend eithier doce pares or balintawak. Just find a good instructors that you are very welcome. Here are some phone numbers,, balintawak grandmaster nick elizar.. 919-6013-548. I dont have the phone numbers of doce pares eithier supreme grandmaster diony canete or supreme grandmaster cacoy canete, im sure you can find it from your tel phone book. Thank you and good luck for your training.

There is more to arnis and eskrima than the use of sticks and blades, there are empty hand aspects to these arts also and a good instructor will bring them out along with showing you the weapons side of the system also..

In my defensive tactics program, I cover weapons use after which I show the empty hand transitions to the same applications shown with the weapons.. This way my students get the full appreciation of what they are learning more than just cutting holes in the ozone layer by swinging the stick and practicing the abcedario of the system that you are training in. This is how I was taught by Master Rafael Reston and his Balintawak system back when I was training with him in the Philippines.. This training was done back in the 70s and up to his death in 06..

That is why I agree with GM Bobby in his suggestion of both doce pares and Balintawak..

From my experiences in the military and currently as a law enforcement officer, My training in the arnis systems that I have had over the past 3.5 decades has served my needs in self defense numerous times.. My teaching and training of people in the same field has been utilized in their needs also when the stuff hit the fan.. My students have used the training in both combat and street situations, some of them used it the next day when they were on duty..

It depends on your instructor's mindset and how he teaches the class. As an instructor of the FMA since the 70s, I always use my training in arnis and combine it with the training that I have received in different LEO defensive tactics programs over the years..

It depends on your developing the dakip diwa (warrior mindset) to suit your needs.. The arnis/eskrima training of the FMA I have had over the years hasn't let me down yet and if everything goes right, I will be using it as a means of survival when the situation dictates for years to come..

I don't what style of martial arts your friend practices but Arnes is a great system to learn for self defense. Short of your opponent having a gun, you can easily defend yourself with a stick if you know what you are doing.

The Balintawak systems that I have seen have had the empty hand aspects included in the training also.. Sir Bobby Tabima (sp) has video showing the empty hand aspects against different weapons to include empty hand assaults.. Balintawak offers more than just "stick dueling", but that might be because of the system being included into some of the modern arnis system.. The training my instructor gave me in the Balintawak system that he taught us back in the day included the whole gambit to include defenses against all sorts of assaults and situations.

This is my own opinion based on my training of the Balintawak system of Master Reston..

I had a serious talk with a colleague who is also into the martial arts and he told me arnis may not be the best system to learn if my intention is self-defense. Any comment on this?

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Hello Vincent,

May I ask what martial arts your colleague studies? I abandoned Japanese and Koren martial arts when I was a teenager because I met fellow college students from Bali, Sarawak, Mindanao and India that were half my size that could clean my clock. They all had one thing in common too, blade oriented empty-hand techniques. That's why I hate to empty-hand martial arts from outside the Philippines practiced and relabled with Filipino names. Some of the most well rounded and combative systems I have ever seen are Moro and Visayan. Not to sat that there are not any in Luzon, I have just not seen them yet.